GiulioPAOLINI
About
The strictly conceptual research conducted by Giulio Paolini focuses on issues that examine the conception, manifestation and vision of the artwork.
After his inquiries on the elements that make up a painting, his attention has also turned to the conventions of the act of seeing and on the relationship between the actors of the artistic experience: author, work of art, spectator and the space of the representation.
His works are marked by a declared theatricality expressed by means of quotes, duplications and fragments drawn from a classical and mythological repertoire.
Giulio Paolini was born in Genua in 1940, he moved to Turin in 1952.
He exhibited at Premio Lissone in 1961 and in 1964 he had his first solo show at Galleria La Salita in Rome. In 1967, upon invitation of Germano Celant, he took part in the group show dedicated to Arte Povera at the Galleria La Bertesca in Genua. Countless exhibitions at galleries and museums worldwide followed.
The major retrospectives include: Palazzo della Pilotta in Parma (1976), the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam (1980), the Nouveau Musée in Villeurbanne (1984), the Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart (1986), the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome (1988), the Neue Galerie am Landesmuseum Joanneum in Graz (1998), the Fondazione Prada in Milan (2003), the Kunstmuseum in Winterthur (2005) and the Whitechapel Gallery in London (2014).
He has taken part in a number of Arte povera exhibitions, and on several occasions has shown his work at Documenta in Kassel (1972, 1977, 1982, 1992), and at the Venice Biennial (1970, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2013).
Trained as a graphic designer he has always had a special interest in the printed page. His artistic research has long been coupled with written statements and reflections collected in artist's books: from Idem, published in 1975 by Einaudi (Turin) with a foreword by Italo Calvino, to Quattro passi. Nel museo senza muse, brought out in 2006 by the same publisher, Dall’Atlante al Vuoto in ordine alfabetico (Electa, Milan 2010) and L'autore che credeva di esistere, published by Johan & Levi (Milan) in 2012.
Several publications have been dedicated to his artistic production: from the first monograph edited by Germano Celant (Sonnabend Press, New York 1972), to the volume curated by Francesco Poli (Lindau, Turin 1990) and the Catalogue raisonné of Paolini’s works from 1960 to 1999, curated by Maddalena Disch (Skira, Milan 2008).
Since 1969 he has also designed sets and costumes for the theatre, notably projects devised with Carlo Quartucci in the eighties and the recent sets for two Wagner operas directed by Federico Tiezzi (2005, 2007).
Giulio Paolini shares his time between Italy and France.
After his inquiries on the elements that make up a painting, his attention has also turned to the conventions of the act of seeing and on the relationship between the actors of the artistic experience: author, work of art, spectator and the space of the representation.
His works are marked by a declared theatricality expressed by means of quotes, duplications and fragments drawn from a classical and mythological repertoire.
Giulio Paolini was born in Genua in 1940, he moved to Turin in 1952.
He exhibited at Premio Lissone in 1961 and in 1964 he had his first solo show at Galleria La Salita in Rome. In 1967, upon invitation of Germano Celant, he took part in the group show dedicated to Arte Povera at the Galleria La Bertesca in Genua. Countless exhibitions at galleries and museums worldwide followed.
The major retrospectives include: Palazzo della Pilotta in Parma (1976), the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam (1980), the Nouveau Musée in Villeurbanne (1984), the Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart (1986), the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome (1988), the Neue Galerie am Landesmuseum Joanneum in Graz (1998), the Fondazione Prada in Milan (2003), the Kunstmuseum in Winterthur (2005) and the Whitechapel Gallery in London (2014).
He has taken part in a number of Arte povera exhibitions, and on several occasions has shown his work at Documenta in Kassel (1972, 1977, 1982, 1992), and at the Venice Biennial (1970, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2013).
Trained as a graphic designer he has always had a special interest in the printed page. His artistic research has long been coupled with written statements and reflections collected in artist's books: from Idem, published in 1975 by Einaudi (Turin) with a foreword by Italo Calvino, to Quattro passi. Nel museo senza muse, brought out in 2006 by the same publisher, Dall’Atlante al Vuoto in ordine alfabetico (Electa, Milan 2010) and L'autore che credeva di esistere, published by Johan & Levi (Milan) in 2012.
Several publications have been dedicated to his artistic production: from the first monograph edited by Germano Celant (Sonnabend Press, New York 1972), to the volume curated by Francesco Poli (Lindau, Turin 1990) and the Catalogue raisonné of Paolini’s works from 1960 to 1999, curated by Maddalena Disch (Skira, Milan 2008).
Since 1969 he has also designed sets and costumes for the theatre, notably projects devised with Carlo Quartucci in the eighties and the recent sets for two Wagner operas directed by Federico Tiezzi (2005, 2007).
Giulio Paolini shares his time between Italy and France.
